Food bank volunteers left in tears after thieves stole cash and Lynx gift sets

Volunteers were left in tears after thieves stole cash and Lynx gift sets from a north Manchester food bank.

The Rainbow Surprise base at Crumpsall Community Hall is believed to have been targeted on Saturday night. After throwing a brick through the office window, the thieves ransacked the building before making off with £1,100 in cash.

Food bank products, including Lynx gift sets, were also taken while a home and a computer were damaged in the break-in. Shakar Hussain, chairman of Rainbow Surprise, discovered the damage when he arrived at the charity’s base on Sunday afternoon.

READ MORE: ‘Wednesday my happy baby girl started being sick…by Thursday she was gone’

“Our office door was open and there was a lot of broken glass on the chair,” he said. “They broke into the house and emptied it.”

Mr Hussain said he was left “shocked and upset” by the damage, adding that some volunteers were left in tears. The food bank, which helps hundreds of people every week, was forced to close for several days.

“It’s really upsetting,” he said. “Financially and emotionally, the impact is massive.

“We haven’t been able to open, so people are losing their food parcels and the community fridge. We average about 50 to 60 people a day, including people who are single and come for a chat.

“The most upsetting thing is that whoever did this must be so desperate. I’m angry but at the same time I feel for them that they had to go to this level to get a little bit of money.

“If they really needed help, they could have asked us instead of doing what they did.”

Volunteers are now working to clear the food bank’s home in the basement of Crumpsall Community Hall, in Cleveland Road. It is hoped that it will be able to reopen on Thursday.

The charity has launched a fundraiser and hopes to raise £10,000 to repair the damage and increase security in the building, including installing CCTV.

Shakar and his wife Shabnam founded Rainbow Surprise in 2011. Now 13 years later, it has become a lifeline for hundreds of people living below the bread line in the north of the city.

Earlier this year, Shakar was recognized for his work when he won two awards at Manchester City Council’s Be Proud Awards, including the coveted Pride of Manchester award.

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed they have launched an investigation into the break-in. No arrests have been made at this stage.

The force said anyone with information should contact police on 101 or online quoting incident number 2197 of 16/6/24 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

You can donate to the charity’s fundraising here.